Kevin B. Churchwell, M.D.
CEO Churchwell to take post in Delaware
Kevin B. Churchwell, M.D., chief executive officer and executive director of the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, is departing to become the new system senior vice president and CEO of the Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Del. He will begin his work at Nemours in November.
Churchwell, a pediatric critical care specialist, has been CEO of Children's Hospital since July 2007. He has helped oversee a series of continued successes for Children's Hospital.
“During his tenure with the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, Dr. Churchwell's contributions toward the University's mission to improve the lives of our state's most vulnerable citizens have been substantial, and I can think of few endeavors more worthy,” said Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos. “As he departs, Kevin is leaving behind a rich tradition of commitment and service to the children of Tennessee and to Vanderbilt.”
The hospital and its clinics, serving children and families from across Tennessee, continue to experience year over year growth in both inpatient and outpatient admissions. Children's Hospital has also been recognized as one of the nation's top children's hospitals by U.S. News & World Report magazine, Parents magazine and by the Leapfrog Group.
“In his 15 years at Vanderbilt, Kevin Churchwell has made many contributions, first as a critical care physician, then chief of staff of Children's Hospital, and most recently as CEO of the hospital, said C. Wright Pinson, M.D., MBA, deputy vice chancellor for Health Affairs and CEO of the Vanderbilt Hospitals and Clinics.
“He has provided steady leadership as a physician and as an administrator. I have enjoyed working with him and wish him the very best in his new position.”
A 1987 graduate of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Churchwell joined the faculty of VUMC in 1995, and has since served in an increasing capacity as medical director of the Children's Hospital Pediatric Critical Care Services; transport director for Children's Hospital; medical director of the Children's Health and Injury Prevention Program; and director of the Pediatric Critical Care Fellowship Program.
Prior to his appointment as CEO, Churchwell served as chief of staff/associate medical director for Children's Hospital.
“Dr. Churchwell has developed and furthered many of programs at VUMC, VU and its affiliated organizations such as Friends of Children's Hospital and other community partners of Children's," said Jeff Balser, M.D., vice chancellor for Health Affairs and Dean of the School of Medicine.
“As CEO of Children's Hospital, Kevin has received accolades and honors; being recognized locally by civic organizations as a community leader and also nationally as one of the top 25 minority executives in health care by Modern Healthcare.”
Luke Gregory, assistant vice chancellor for Health Affairs and Chief Business Development Officer, will serve as the interim CEO.
“Over the last several months, Luke has become engaged in the inpatient and outpatient clinical expansion activities of our Children's programs,” Pinson said. “He has tremendous respect for the vision and commitment of our faculty and staff at Children's Hospital.”
Gregory's previous operating experience includes serving as CEO for Blakeford, Inc. Health Care, senior vice president at Baptist Hospital in Nashville, and senior vice president at Northeast Georgia Health System.
“Both Gloria and I wish to thank everyone within the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital and the greater Vanderbilt University community for their incredible love and support during our time here at Vanderbilt,” Churchwell said. This is a place of very special people who are profoundly dedicated to the mission of the University, Medical Center, each other, and our patients and families.
“We will miss you all, but please know we will carry a small part of each of you as we continue on in our next journey,” Churchwell said.
The Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children is a 200-bed teaching hospital integrated with the Nemours Children's Clinic and providing more than 30 specialties of pediatric medicine, surgery and dentistry.
As the new senior vice president/CEO for Nemours, Churchwell will be responsible for all system inpatient and outpatient operations throughout Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, aligning practice and hospital operations with Nemour's strategic direction. In this new executive leadership position, Churchwell will serve as a member of the Nemours Executive Team, overseeing one of the nation's largest integrated pediatric health systems. The Nemours Children's Hospital system also provides care in Florida.
“It is with a great deal of mixed emotions that I wish Kevin Churchwell well in his new endeavor,” said John W. Brock III, M.D., Surgeon-in-Chief of Children's Hospital. Kevin's quiet and even-keel demeanor mixed with his passion for children and their health has made him an outstanding CEO for our hospital.
“It has been my honor to work side-by-side with Kevin as he has helped improve the Children's Hospital. I will miss him greatly, as both a friend and a colleague, but also know that this is a wonderful opportunity for him.”
Jonathan Gitlin, M.D., James C. Overall Professor and Chair of Pediatrics, praised Churchwell's leadership. "Kevin has devoted himself to serving our patients and families through extraordinary leadership,” Gitlin said.
“He has maintained a standard of commitment to service and quality that has inspired the staff to excellence and provided the community with the very best Children's Hospital."
Churchwell will begin transitioning from Children's Hospital on Oct. 1.